BAGUIO CITY – Officials of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the local government decided to cancel the opening ceremonies and move the schedules of games lined up for the Batang Pinoy national championships from September 16, 2018 to September 17, 2018 to allow Supertyphoon Ompong to pass through the city and exit the country.
The decision was reached by PSC and local government officials during an emergency meeting Wednesday wherein it was also agreed upon that the grand opening parade and colorful opening ceremonies will be cancelled and that there will be a grand closing program on September 22, 2018 instead.
Further, Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan also ordered the suspension of classes in all the identified billeting schools, specifically the Baguio Central School, Josefa Carino Elementary School, Pines City National High School, Baguio City High School, Mabini Elementary School, Quezon Elementary School and SPED Center, starting 3 pm Wednesday up to September 21, 2018.
Domogan said the preparations of performers during the cancelled grand parade and opening ceremonies will not be wasted because they will be given a chance to showcase their performances during the grand closing program wherein the participating athletes and sports officials, including their parents, chaperons, among others, will be treated in the sterling and dynamic cultural presentations.
Registration of participants to the 28 sports disciplines lined up for the Batang Pinoy national championships are now underway at the Baguio City High School as delegates from the different participating local governments have started to arrive in the city.
Weather forecasters predicted that there will be heavy rains and strong winds that will prevail in the Baguio and Benguet areas starting Friday up to Saturday which prompted officials of the PSC and local government to decide in moving the start of the games a day later.
Originally, the start of the games for the Batang Pinoy national championships was slated on September 16, 2018 but to the predicted bad weather condition in the city and the province on the said date, the same was moved back.
PSC and city officials remain optimistic that the weather condition in Baguio and Benguet starting on September 17, 2018 will significantly improve after the weather disturbance will exit the Philippine area of responsibility to allow the public to witness the conduct of the various games lined up for the week-long sports competition.
PSC officials committed to help the delegations from Visayas and Mindanao who have previously booked their return trips to justify the rebooking of their trips back to their places of origin after the decision to move back the games was reached.
Some 7,000 athletes and sports officials are expected to arrive in the city this week to participate in the 28 events lined up for the competition wherein 22 games will be played in the sports venues around the city while six sports events will be played in sports facilities in La Trinidad, Benguet.
By Dexter A. See
